


Broken Promise

by Riddlers_Lackey



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Abuse, Bad Parenting, slight mention of self-abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-12
Updated: 2017-01-12
Packaged: 2018-09-16 22:55:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9293270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Riddlers_Lackey/pseuds/Riddlers_Lackey
Summary: Request: Could you please do a Jerome Valeska imagine where Jerome has an older sister who took the beatings for him and protected him. He made a promise to his sister that he'd always be good (something along those lines). Skip to the future where Jerome is being shipped to Arkham and Reader just says: "But you promised..."





	

You laid under a tree on a bright summer day your 13 year old little brother Jerome ran around happily chasing a butterfly around the field. He was the only happy part of your life and you would protect him with your life.  
“Y/N why does mom hate us” Jerome asked as he walked over to you.  
“Why do you thing she hates us little man”  
“Because she calls us name and she’s the reason that you have bruises all over your arms”, Jerome sat down next to you and cuddled up to your arm, “you don’t have to protect me anymore I’m old enough now I wanna protect you”  
Tears welled up in your eyes,” J I need you to promise me something no matter what happens I want you to be a good person, learn from moms mistakes. Spread love not hate or fear, just be good O.K. Now let’s get back before she realizes we are gone.”  
Yelling could be heard before your trailer was even visible. You stepped in front of Jerome in case your mother came out swinging. You entered the trailer the same way one would enter a potential crime scene. Your mother sat drunk with an open letter on the table in front of her.  
“Who the hell do you think you are” she threw her empty bottle at your feet.  
“Jerome go to the room close the door behind you” you pushed him away from her.  
“If you want to leave us then leave you ungrateful little bitch”, she shoved the letter into your hands, an acceptance letter from a college a couple towns away, “I fucking raised you and now you think you can do whatever you want. Leave me with that bastard child in the other room both of you little ingrates are nothing more than a pain in my ass”  
She glared at you and shoved past to grab more booze.  
“Then maybe you shouldn’t be spreading your legs for every clown, acrobat, and customer that walks through”  
She paused and turned to you a moment of silence past before she raised her hand and threw it as hard as she could across your face. The crack of skin rang out in the tiny trailer followed by the thud of you falling to the ground.  
“Y/N” Jerome called out.  
“Stay there J don’t come out” You yelled, “If you hurt him I swear-”  
“You swear what you’re leaving what are you going to do” She pushed you down again stepping on your stomach, “Don’t you dare come back unless you’re going to take that little shit with you”  
No more than three months later you were your bags packed ready to escape this hell while your mother performed. Jerome sat on the bed watching you, “When will you come back?”  
“When I have a job that will allow me to support us both, it might take a while but I promise that I’ll come get you” he nodded some tears starting to form in his eyes, “J even when I’m gone I need you to remember what you promised me learn from moms mistakes, spread love, please Jerome just be good help change the world for the better, I love you.”  
“I know you do, promise you’ll love yourself too while you’re gone.” He ran his fingers along the scars on your arm.  
You kissed him on the forehead and grabbed your bags before you ran out to catch a taxi all the way to your college.  
“Valeska, I heard your request for transfer to our Gotham sector has been approved; If you need any help when youre out there I know a guy a little shady but he’s-“Your phone rang in the middle of your coworkers sentence.  
“Oh sorry sir… it’s… uh the Gotham Police Department I have to take this sorry Steve. Hello? Yes this is her… are… are you sure it’s her… and my brother…okay yes I can be there by tonight im just a few towns over okay yes thank you so much detective.” You looked up to Steve,” Um It seems that I’m going to have to leave sooner than expected, my mother was just killed.”  
You speed home and packed only your necessities before jumping back in your car and making it to Gotham in record time. You all but ran into the GCPD almost tripping in your work heels in the process. You stopped the first man you saw standing around.  
“Excuse me sir I’m looking for Detective Gordon, I’m Y/N Valeska He called me a few hours ago my brother is here.”  
“Ah yes of course, I'm Edward Nygma but you can call me Ed, let me escort you to where they are.” He held out his arm which you gladly took.  
Jerome and Detective Gordon sat in a gloomy room, “Um Hi I’m Y/N Valeska I’m here for my brother"  
“Of Course I'm Detective Gordon we spoke on the phone, let me fill you in on the rest of the details and then you should take Jerome home”  
The car ride back to the circus was quiet; Jerome just stared out the window, he took the lead to the trailer not once looking at you.  
“Wow haven’t seen this place in so long I almost forgot how it looked and how messy it was”, you began to clean up the place, throwing all the empty alcohol bottles into a bag. Jerome just stood still staring at the ground,” Are you okay hun… what am I asking of course you’re not your mother just died… our mother just died, murdered none the less. I want say I’m shocked but I’m really not. Christ do you hear me speaking ill of the dead, the woman that gave me life no less. I should be crying or upset or feeling something yet all I can think is how much she …she-“  
“She deserved it” his voice was barely over a whisper  
“You had a rough night and morning get some rest you need it”  
“you’ve never called me hun before, I guess 5 years away really changes somebody, and by looks of that outfit I’d say you work in an office, get good pay enough to live comfortably I hope.” He started toward his bed.  
“I'm transferring out here to Gotham hun... I mean J, I got an apartment, the landlord said that I can move in as soon as tomorrow so pack up after you rest. It’s a two bedroom I know an 18 year old would like his privacy. You’re all grown up now I mean wow I never thought I’d see the day.”  
“Why because you thought you would off yourself or because you didn’t think you would have to see me again.” He was staring at you now, all signs of exhaustion now gone.  
“I transferred out here with every intention of getting you away from her Jerome I’m sorry I was too late but I’m here now and I’m not leaving you ever again.” He walked away slamming the door behind him, you started packing up things Jerome would need for the move while he rested.  
The next day as you and Jerome began unpacking his things in your new apartment another call came from the GCPD, Jim Gordon explained that there had been a breakthrough in the investigation. You dropped everything, practically dragging Jerome to the car with no explanation. He was taken into an interrogation room while you watched from the one way mirror. Then he said it the word you never thought you would hear. Your baby brother admitted to the murder of your mother. For the first time you began to cry racing out in hopes of speaking to Jerome before he was taken away.  
“Jerome how could you, I asked you to learn from her mistakes, to spread love, to just be good, you promised…”  
All he did was laugh as they dragged him away from you, it should have been the last time you ever saw him outside of prison walls but Gotham always had a way of twisting fate.


End file.
